Kansas City police said that nearly all of the car thefts they've investigated in areas north of the Missouri River involve cars that had been left running and unattended to warm up.

Kansas City police said that nearly all of the car thefts they've investigated in areas north of the Missouri River involve cars that had been left running and unattended to warm up.

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Updated: 5:35 PM CST Feb 18, 2015

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WEBVTT THE WEEK. WITH TEMPERATURES THIS LOW, THERE'S NO DOUBT SOME DRIVERS WILL WARM UP THEIR CARS IN THE MORNING, MOST LEAVING THE VEHICLE UNATTENDED. POLICE IN THE NORTHLAND THAT'S THE CAUSE OF ALMOST ALL OF THE CAR THEFTS THEY'VE SEEN THIS WINTER. KMBC 9'S MICHEAL MAHONEY REPORTS. MICHAEL: SOMETIMES, CAR THIEVES GO PUFFING -- THAT IS, LOOKING FOR EXHAUST FUMES FROM AN UNATTENDED CAR. THE DRIVER IS OFTEN INSIDE AS IT WARMS UP. POLICE SAY CAR THEFTS IN THE NORTHLAND ARE UP 21% SINCE IT'S TURNED COLD LAST NOVEMBER. AND IN MOST CASES, THOSE VEHICLES WERE UNLOCKED, AND THE ENGINE RUNNING -- NO BREAK-INS INVOLVED. TODAY, KANSAS CITY MOVED CLOSER TOWARD UPDATING IT'S LAWS ON THIS. THE CITY IS AUTHORIZING THE USE OF REMOTE STARTERS, AS LONG AS THE CAR REMAINS SECURE. UNATTENDED CARS ARE STOLEN EASILY, USALLY WHEN IT'S VERY COLD AND VERY HOT. SGT. ROD GENTRY: I'D BE COMFORTABLE IN SAYING AT LEAST ONE OUT OF THREE, PROBABLY HIGHER OF OUR STOLEN CARS ARE ACTUALLY RUNNING. MICHAEL: YOU CAN GET A KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI TICKET FOR LEAVING A RUNNING CAR UNATTENDED. THE CITY COUNCIL, HOWEVER, IS CHANGING THE ORDINANCE TO CATCH UP WITH THE TIMES. THEIR WARNING ON SOCIALMEDIA NOT TO LEAVE A CAR THAT'S RUNNING PROMPTED SOME OWNERS OF REMOTE STARTERS TO ASK IF THAT APPLIED TO THEM, TOO. SARAH BOYD: BUT WE GOT THAT RESPONSE, EVERY TIME WE PUT THAT OUT. DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE WOULD ASK THAT QUESTION. MICHAEL: THE COMMITTEE NOT ONLY APPROVED THE AUTHORIZING REMOTE STARTERS, IT ADVANCED IT. SO THIS IS MOVING QUICKLY. IT WAS INTRODUCED MONDAY, APPROVED IN COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, AND WILL GO THE THE CITY COUNCIL ON THURSDAY. MICHAEL MAHONEY, KMBC 9 NEWS. KELLY: THE BAN ON LEAVING CARS UNATTENDED DATES BACK TO WHEN THERE WERE NO ANTI-THEFT ALARMS

KC City Council advances measure allowing remote starters

Kansas City police said that nearly all of the car thefts they've investigated in areas north of the Missouri River involve cars that had been left running and unattended to warm up.